D-Crit, School of Visual Arts

“I THINK WHAT we’re doing here is pretty novel,” says Alice Twemlow, the program’s chair and co-founder. Started in the fall of 2008, the program is the first in the U.S. to focus specifically on design criticism. Current students include editors and art directors, as well as students from other professions, all aiming to sharpen their understanding of design. Twemlow says that “writing is the springboard for everything,” and the program encourages writing for all types of media, including blogs, podcasts, and radio. The program has an all-star faculty roster, most of whom are practicing pro­fessionals, including Pentagram’s Michael Bierut, Studio 360’s Kurt Andersen, and Print’s own editor in chief, Emily Gordon. Recently, a professor asked Twemlow for tips on teaching, and she responded with the very reason the prospects for this program are so promising: “I just told them to teach what they do by day.” schedules.